A LEADING parliamentary advocate of Scottish Gàidhlig has stressed the importance of legislating for the protection of Gaelic languages.
Scottish National Party MSP Alasdair Allan led a debate at Holyrood on Scotland's next National Gaelic Language Plan, which will run from 2023 to 2028.
The plan, which has cross-party support, stands in stark contrast to the latest Stormont impasse over the implementation of Irish language legislation contained in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
In Scotland, consultation has started on the fourth National Gaelic Language Plan, prepared by Bòrd na Gàidhlig on behalf of the Scottish Ministers.
During last Wednesday's debate, Alasdair Allan stressed the need to protect the language by bringing it into the mainstream, and preventing the decline of native rural speakers.
The plan represents the principle vehicle for detailing public strategy and policy for the promotion of the language.
Mr Allan was reluctant to tell Stormont Assembly members how they should do their work but he said the perspective from Scotland should be helpful to those working to support "fragile" languages.
“It is not for me to say what the Northern Ireland Assembly should do, but it is worth giving a perspective from Scotland, since the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages are so closely related, and reflect our centuries of close contact," he said.
"Scotland’s Gaelic Language Act of 2005 has been widely recognised to have been a positive step, and one that now urgently needs to be built on with new legislation ensuring that the place of Gaelic is mainstreamed into public services.
"In Scotland there are people of all religious and political traditions who use Gaelic as their daily means of communication, with native-speaking communities in the islands and indeed Gaelic speakers scattered across the whole country. We need to act to ensure that this fragile but important part of Scotland’s culture thrives into the future.”
